Petunia plant named &#39;USTUN69002&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUN69002’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; lavender pink-colored flowers with yellow green-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUN69002’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘USTUN69002’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall,Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create newfreely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early andfreely flowering habit, unique attractive flowers and good gardenperformance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on May 20, 2012 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of Petunia×hybrida‘Bluetta Pink Morn’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withPetunia×hybrida ‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inBonsall, Calif. on June 5, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. sinceJun. 6, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Petuniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USTUN69002’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USTUN69002’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Lavender pink-colored flowers with yellow green-colored        centers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Bluetta Pink Morn’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘Bluetta Pink Morn’ in planthabit as plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of‘Bluetta Pink Morn’. In addition, plants of the new Petunia haveslightly smaller flowers than plants of ‘Bluetta Pink Morn’.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have slightly larger flowers than        plants of ‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have better weather tolerance than        plants of ‘Little Holiday Pink Morn’.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘Opera SupremePink Morn’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPetunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ inflower color as plants of ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ had pink-coloredflowers with white and yellow-colored centers. In addition, plants ofthe new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of ‘Opera Supreme PinkMorn’.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of ‘Storm PinkMorn’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPetunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Storm Pink Morn’ in flowercolor as plants of ‘Storm Pink Morn’ had soft pink-colored flowers withwhite and yellow-colored centers. In addition, plants of the new Petuniahad smaller flowers than plants of ‘Storm Pink Morn’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘USTUN69002’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘USTUN69002’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 10-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 34° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from7,000 to 10,000. Plants were 8.5 weeks old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUN69002’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘Bluetta Pink            Morn’, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘Little Holiday            Pink Morn’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days            at temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days            at temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about 24            primary lateral branches with multiple secondary lateral            branches developing per plant; dense and bushy appearance;            pinching enhances development of lateral branches; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 32 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About            3.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Initially upright then outwardly spreading. Texture:            Pubescent, minute. Luster: Matte. Color: Close to 146B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after            flowers develop; leaves simple.        -   Length.—About 4 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent, minute. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary salverform            flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about 17 to 18 flower buds and open            flowers per lateral branch and more than 500 flowers            developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, plants flower from early spring until            frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this            period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about            six weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days;            flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Oblong, elongate. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 4 cm.        -   Throat diameter, distal.—About 7 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a            single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat):            About 1.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.6 cm. Petal lobe            shape: Fan-shaped. Petal lobe apex: Rounded with a small            point. Petal lobe margin: Shallowly emarginate and slightly            sinuate. Petal lobe texture, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Petal lobe texture, lower surface:            Pubescent, minute. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube            texture: Pubescent, minute. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Towards the margins, close to 77D; towards the            throat, close to 145C. When opening, lower surface: Close to            145C to 145D tinted with close to 76D. Fully opened, upper            surface: At the margins, close to 71 C; towards the center            progressing to closer to 76B; towards the throat, close to            151D progressing to closer to 145C; venation, close to            N144A; color at the margin becoming closer to 77C with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76C;            towards the margins, close to 75D; venation, close to N144A.            Flower throat (inside): Close to 151 C; venation, close to            144A. Flower tube (outside): Close to 145B; venation, close            to 144A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a            single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About            3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,            upper surface: Close to 147B. Color, lower surface: Close to            146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 30° to 45° from the stem            axis. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Luster: Matte. Color:            Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to            145D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther            color: Close to 160D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 160D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style            color: Close to 146D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color:            Close to 146B. Ovary color: Close to 146B.        -   Seeds and fruits—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and have been observed to tolerate    rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 3.5° C. to about 43°    C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘USTUN69002’ asillustrated and described.